Do you help someone who can't manage without your support?
You may not recognise yourself as a carer, but if you're helping somebody with all the essential, basic self-care tasks that people need to do every day to keep themselves safe, healthy and clean without pay then you're a carer.
Reports show that one in five of us supports a relative, close friend or neighbour because of:
- Chronic illness
- Mental ill health
- Dementia
- Disability
- Age-related reasons
- Substance misuse or old age
- A person's condition or disability bringing them into contact with the criminal justice system or secure services (to read more about forensic carers, take a look at the NHS toolkit)
The support you give may include:
- Emotional support: listening and talking
- Household chores: cleaning, cooking, washing, ironing, or shopping
- Medication support: picking up medication, reminding about medication or physically helping someone with tablets or creams
- Personal care: eating, getting to the toilet, washing, and dressing
- Physical care: mobility support around their home
- Caring at a distance: providing support and contact to someone in secure services